Mail-bag catching and delivering device.



Elm 892,680.

PATENTED JULY 7, 1908.

L. H. PAGE.- MAIL-BAG GATOHING AND DELIVERING DEVICE.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

PLICmL'l'ION FILED 001'. 1.1907.

. standard.

LEVI H. PAGE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

MAIL-BAG CATCHING AND DELIVERING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July '7, 1908.

Application filed October 1, 1907. Serial No. 395,404.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, L VI H. PAGE, citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Bag Catching and Delivering Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to mail-bag catching and delivering devices, and has for its object to provide an improved construction, comprising essentially a pair of hooks or arms one of which will hold a bag to be de livered and the other of which will receive the bag to be caught, said arms being carried by the ear and cooperating with a standard beside the track, whereby a bag suspended on the standard will be caught by one of the arms, and another bag carried by the other arm will be simultaneously delivered to the These actions are effected without injurin the mail-bags or the contents thereof, an they do not come in contact with the ground to become soiled or wet, as is common where bags are thrown out of car doors.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of apart of acar showing the catching and delivering hooks or arms and the standard which holds and receives the bags. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same parts, with the car in section. Fig. 3 is adetail in top view of the device carried by the car. Fig. 4 is a detail in top view of the standard. 1

Referring s ecifically tothe drawings, 1 indicates a ra' way mail car, and 2 a door in the side thereof. Mounted upon the wall on the inner side of the car is a turning post 3 which is pivoted at top and bottom to two brackets 4 and 5, screwed to the side of the car.

6 and 7 are arms projecting from the post 3, being attached thereto by collars and set screws and projecting horizontally in position to extend beyond the side of the car when turned out to that osition. These arms have at their outer enc s oppositely extending fingers 60 and 70 res ectively, the fingers being in line vertically with each other and spaced apart a foot or more. The

' post may be turned to swing the arms in and out by means of a lever 8, and may be held in position by a latch rod 9 which extends between the end of the lever and an angle plate 10 fixed to the side of the car, adjacent to the lower bracket 5. By lifting the latch rod and disengaging the same from the arm 8, the post may be swung half way around, to bring the arms inside the car.

As shown, each arm 6 and 7 has two fingers pointing in opposite direction. This is useful for cars which travel in both directions and using only one door. For cars which collect only one way one of the fingers 60, and one of the fingers 70, may be omitted.

A standard 11 is erected beside the track and supports a vertically adjustable arm 12 which is bent outwardly at the upper end to over-hang and is provided with oppositely extending fingers 22. The standard is so located, and the arm is so adjusted, that the fingers '22 will be in line vertically with the fingers and 7 0 and will pass between the .same.

The delivering lingers are the upper fingers 60, and are the receiving fingers. The latter have a pin 17 projecting at the middle to assist in catching the pouches and in retaining the same on the hooks; and the fingers 22' have a similar pin 13 at the middle, for the same purpose.

In operation, the delivery bags 14 are hung on the finger 60 which points rearwardly with respect to the direction of travel of the train, and the receiving bags 16 are hung on the finger 22 pointing forwardly with respect to the train movement. The bags are hung by means of large loops 15 which are of sulficient size to pass over both fingers 60 and 70, so that the delivery bags may be hung on the upper finger. When the train passes the station the lower finger 70 will catch the bag hanging on the finger 22, and the other fin ger 22 will catch the bags hanging on the finger 60, thereby effecting the exchange of the pouches. The jamb of the door is cut away as indicated at 18, to allow the arms to be swung in or out of the car door.

Obviously, a number of bags may be collected and delivered at the same time, which is a decided improvement over those devices whose operation is limited to the catching or delivery of a single bag.

I claim:

1. In a mail bag catching and delivering apparatus, in combination, a standard beside the track having overhanging fingers at the top pointing in opposite directions, upper and lower arms projecting from the car, and fingers projecting oppositely from the arms,

delivering devices at their free ends, a lever projecting from the post to turn the same and a latch rod connected to the car and en- 15 gageable with the lever to hold the post in I l) sition With the arms extended beyond the door.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

LEVI H. PAGE.

at the outer ends thereof, the fingers on the standard and'on the arms being in substantial vertical alinement, and the former being at proper height to pass between the latter, and the latter being sufliciently close togetlner to respectively deliver to and take from the former.

2. The combination of brackets fixed to the side of a car adjacent the door, a turning post mounted on the brackets, arms project- 1 ing from said post and adapted to swing in or out of the door and having bag catching and 1 Vitnesses:

NELLIE FELTSKOG, H. G. BATo'HELoR. 

